[rockpaperscissor]

After seeing several full sized builds of FG's new Gloster E.28 in multiple forums, I was inspired to try my hand at a 1/72 version. I chose to reduce the "large" version of the model. I like the way the parts were laid out on this one versus the "regular" size. The fuselage segments and wing leading edges were all aligned with the paper grain (north and south). When the parts are aligned this way, rolling is much easier, and tight curves like along a wing's leading edge will be nice and smooth. The paper fibers won't fracture like they often do with east/west oriented parts, leaving unsightly "crinkles" in the paper. I wish designers would make it a point to align the model parts with the paper grain - it would make the hobbyist's job so much easier.

One of the benefits of building in this smaller scale is the paper savings. I printed all four pages on one piece of cardstock - Just doing my part to save the planet! :D

I cut away all the glue tabs on the fuselage sections (in fact, I cut away the glue tabs everywhere), and used joining strips to mate the edges. Then I glued in a sawtoothed joining strip at the rear of each cylindrical fuselage section, and used these strips to attach the sections together. Before closing the fuselage up, I glued a small weight in the front to make sure the model would sit correctly on the tricycle landing gear. In this small scale it was easier just to glue the wings directly to the airplane rather than to cut holes through the sides of fuselage for the hidden center wing section as per the instructions. After the fillets were added, the wing joints were very strong. The tail assembly went together with no difficulty. I decided to display this one with the gear down. I replaced the kit nose gear with one scratched from thin plastic rod and paper for a better look. I used the kit main gear stiffened with Crazy Glue for strength. The finished model resides on one of my cardstock bases, polished with a couple of coats of Minwax furniture paste wax for a bit of shine. I'm happy with the finished product.

Summary: Great little model overall, and a fun build. Designed by Guido Van Roy, I believe, the multi-sectioned fuselage is a departure from Fiddler's Green usual designs. Fit was darned near perfect. The artwork is great, with the exception of the camo on the wing blisters which didn't match up at all. The camo on the wing fillets is off too, but it's less noticeable. Fiddler's Green is managing to maintain the traditional, whimsical "feel" of their line, while steadily improving upon the quality of the designs. I'd certainly recommend this gem to anyone who hasn't yet built a FG model. Taking price and quality into account, it's a real bargain.